6/13/2017 Public Hearing “to gather comments on the sizing of a proposed new jail in Whatcom County” / Facebook post, Noisy Waters Northwest

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June 8, 2017  Dena Jensen

At the Public Hearing at next week’s County Council Meeting on Tuesday June 13 at 7 p.m. (rally at 6:00 beforehand), it seems our comments on jail bed numbers (the number of people we envision being incarcerated in our county in the future) need to be based on all the best statistical data we have in our private-citizen hands that supports that we now have all the tools at our disposal, and will continue to have more, that will allow a reduction in the number of people we are incarcerating and that we are ready to begin a new age that abandons our failed justice system. Continue reading →

The “Illusion of Inclusion” series of reports on the Whatcom County Jail / NorthwestCitizen, Juliette Daniels

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Click this graphic to go to the search results page on NorthwestCitizen where you can access any of these reports.

Keep reading this series of reports on NorthwestCitizen to get an in-depth look at the history of the plan for a horizontal mega-jail. The next installment after those shown in this screenshot of search results for “Illusion of Inclusion” on NorthwestCitizen is also available on their website (it has a slightly different title). Continue reading →

Is Skagit County’s Sr. Deputy Prosecutor Honea spreading rumors about Swinomish leadership? / Noisy Waters Northwest, Dena Jensen

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May 29, 2017: This article has been updated at the conclusion of the original post with additional information about material attributed to Swinomish Indian Tribal Community Chairman Brian Cladoosby and used out of context by Skagit County Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney William Honea and KGMI conservative radio show host Kris Halterman.

May 22, 2017  Dena Jensen

Skagit County Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney William Honea said in one of his May 22, 2017 comments on a Facebook comment thread: “…Swinomish, which represents 0.4% of the [Skagit] County’s population, is claiming superior jurisdiction over much of the land base, and its leadership is talking about how great it will be when everyone else leaves. Can you blame the people at Willman’s lecture for being a little freaked out?”   Continue reading →

Email response from Sheriff Elfo to my 3/30/17 email to the Jail Stakeholder Work Group / Facebook post, Noisy Waters Northwest, Dena Jensen

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jail stakeholder work group march 30 email

May 11, 2017  Dena Jensen

I got an email from Sheriff Elfo this morning in response to an email I wrote back on March 30, to the Jail Stakeholder Work Group (my email is shown in the graphic). This resistance-is-futile kind of quote from the Sheriff bugs me the most: “Despite all that is being done and can be done outside the context of the jail, there will continue to be a need for a jail. The law requires it.” Continue reading →

Big New Jail Not the Solution / NorthwestCitizen, Guest writer, Amy Glasser

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Mar 01, 2017   Amy Glasser

Amy Glasser guest writes this article.

I have recently declared my intention to run for a seat on the Whatcom County Council. One of the issues motivating me is that 55% of Whatcom County’s budget is comprised of “Law and Order” dollars and there seems to be a continuing push by some county officials to build a “mega-jail” even though it has been rejected by citizen referendum. Continue reading →

Undocumented Leaders React to Governor Inslee’s Executive Order / Press Release, Grassroots undocumented led communities

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February 23, 2017  Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Maru Mora Villalpando
FEBRUARY 2017
Undocumented Leaders React to Governor Inslee’s Executive Order
Accountability is still required to fulfill the promise of a hate-free state.

Tacoma, WA- We the grassroots undocumented led communities that worked with Senator Lisa Wellman in building a new process for introducing public policy in Olympia, want to thank Sen Wellman for listening to our voices and drafting language with us that would have provided a sense of dignity and protection from federal immigration enforcement by ending their collaboration with local law enforcement departments. Continue reading →

Surly Citizens Object to Backroom Deals / NorthwestCitizen, Guest writer, Anne Mackie

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At the height of the objections to the rule breaking by Vargas.

Anne Mackie guest writes about the Monday, Oct 17, Bellingham City Council meeting.  She is a community leader who lives in the York neighborhood.

Wed, Oct 19, 2016, 4:27 pm // Guest writer, Anne Mackie

What does it look like when a special interest group has your City Council president in their back pocket? It looks like what transpired at the October 17 Bellingham City Council Public Hearing on the Comprehensive Plan.

Rumors of a “crowd control problem” at city hall Monday night circulated on police scanners. As someone who was there, I can say the only control problem was emanating from Council President Pinky Vargas who violated meeting rules to accommodate her friends in the real estate and building industry. […]

Read Anne’s complete article on NorthwestCitizen here.

Continue reading →

Residential/Boarding schools and their inflicted wounds, a road to awarenes and healing: Orange Shirt Day / Facebook post, Noisy Waters Northwest

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September 30, 2016  Noisy Waters Northwest

“It’s said that our greatest sufferings can bring about our greatest triumphs. Forty years later, Phyllis [Webstab] spearheaded the Orange Shirt Day movement to raise awareness about crimes committed against aboriginal children between 1931 and 1996 in the residential school system, and to promote healing.” – Gerry Chidiac, “Healing the scars left by residential schools” Continue reading →